Kislev 10 – The Hand of the LORD was Heavy on the People of Ashdod…

November 29, 2025

09 – Kislev, 1 Samuel, 5786_09_Kislev, Ashdod, Gath, Israel, Philistine

Ark of the Covenant, Dagon, Philistines

Kislev 10, 5786; from sunset November 29, 2025, to sunset November 30, 2025

(The tenth day of the ninth month)

This is the name “Shemu’el” (שְׁמוּאֵל – Samuel) as seen in the Aleppo Codex, written over one thousand years ago.

It’s been a while since we checked in with the Israelites, the Philistines, and the Ark of the Covenant. Let’s refresh our memories on what we’ve studied so far.

We began by meeting Eli the priest while he was sitting on his “kisse” (seat of honor/glory) by the door of the Tabernacle in Shiloh. We were then introduced to Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and learned how they were corrupt – showing no “chavod” (honor or glory) to God.

Next, we saw how Israel went into battle with the Philistines and were defeated. They returned to camp and formulated a plan to send for the Ark of the Covenant to help in battle.

We then caught up with the Israelites as the Ark entered the camp and a “teruah gedolah” – a great shout – was heard. It was so loud, even the Philistines trembled.

With the Ark of their God in hand, Israel once again engaged in battle with the Philistines. This time the text recounts that Israel experienced a “great slaughter” and the Philistines captured the Ark. A man ran from the battlefield to Shiloh and informed Eli of Israel’s defeat, the Ark’s capture, and the death of his two sons. Eli, who was old and “heavy” (“chaved”), fell off of his seat of “honor/glory” (“chavod”) and died. His daughter-in-law went into labor and gave birth to a son whom she named “I-chabod” (“Departing Glory”) because of the Ark of God, her husband, and her father-in-law.

Finally, we last checked-in with the Ark to see what happened to it once the Philistines brought it to Ashdod. We found it placed in a temple dedicated to Dagon and learned how Dagon was made to bow down to the Ark of God. We finished with Dagon’s dismembered body laid prostate before the Ark.

Now, let’s pick up the story where we left off…

But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”

Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. – 1 Samuel 5:6-8 (NKJ)

The people of Ashdod realized the plague of tumors was happening to them because of the Ark of the God of Israel. They called a council meeting of all of the princes of the Philistines. The prince of Gath must have drawn the short straw because the Ark was sent to them next!

Let’s refamiliarize ourselves with the meaning of the Hebrew verb כבד (“kaved” – pronounced like “kah-vaid”). Kaved means to be heavy, grievous, hard, rich, honorable, or glorious. So far in our story, we’ve found this verb-root used in several different ways.

Ichabod (“ee-khah-vode”) – the name of the son of Phinehas who was born on the day the Philistine’s captured the Ark of the Covenant. His name means “Departing Glory.”
Chaved (“khah-vaid”) – the word used to describe the “heaviness” of Eli’s body.
Chavod (“khah-vode”) – the “honor” Eli showed to his sons rather than to the LORD.

In today’s study we run into our root-word once again. The “heavy” hand of the LORD in 1 Samuel 5:6 in Hebrew is “chebad,” another word stemming from our root. The Glory of the LORD may have departed (i-chavod) from Israel, but the glory certainly had not departed from the LORD! He displayed His power and proved His authenticity over Dagon, first by making him bow down and then by cutting him to pieces. After that, the only thing which “multiplied” (“dagah” = to multiply, increase or be in abundance) in Ashdod were the tumors which were in abundance on the people there!

The word translated as tumors in our story is “ofalim” (עֳפָלִים) which means to swell or be lifted up. There is an area in Jerusalem near the Temple mount known as the Ophel (עֺפֶל). The Ophel is a “swelling or lifting” of the earth…just as the tumors, the “ofalim,” were areas of swelling or lifting of the skin.

Below is a map showing Ashdod and Gath. The next time we check in with the Ark of the Covenant, it’ll be in Gath, and we’ll see what lies in store for the citizens of Goliath’s hometown.

To read all of our posts on Samuel, the Philistines, and the Ark of the Covenant, click on the name Shemu’el above.